Chapter 83: The late emperor’s poisoning case!
More than five hundred officials burst into tears, how miserable it must be, how miserable it must be.
It really saddens those who hear it and sheds tears.
Even Wang Shu, Xie Qian, and Li Dongyang felt a little intolerable.
After all, although the nature of pretending to be sick and asking for leave is bad, it is not a crime worthy of death!
Thinking of this, everyone couldn't help but sigh again.
And Zhu Youtang was indeed tired of hearing the whines and cries of these officials.
“Shut up, everyone!”
“Jinyiwei listen to the order!”
Suddenly, the Jinyiwei behind these officials pretending to be sick knelt down to listen to the order.
Waiting for Zhu Youtang’s execution decision on these officials!
Zhu Youtang looked at the more than 500 officials kneeling in front of the Meridian Gate and spoke coldly.
"Anyone who pretends to be ill and fails to come to court today will be fined with twenty imperial staffs and half a year's salary."
"Order Jin Yiwei to execute him immediately."
Hearing that Zhu Youtang The more than 500 officials were punished, and their hearts were half dead in an instant.
Although twenty imperial staffs may seem like a small amount, if they are used in real quantities, it can range from hemiplegia at worst to immediate death at worst!
The imperial staffs of the Ming Dynasty were extremely particular. No matter how many imperial staffs there were, they could determine life or death.
Because most of the executioners were factory guards, some experienced factory guards had already developed skills with the imperial staff.
If the emperor wanted to live, then the officials would be beaten with a stick until their skin was torn and their flesh was dripping with blood, making them look extremely miserable.
But it was just a flesh wound. Go back and lie in bed to recuperate for a few days, and then everything will be fine.
If the emperor wants to die, then hit him with a stick, hitting all the spine, bones and nerves.
After the beating, not even a drop of blood will flow out, but all the bones and nerves in the body will be necrotic, and the official will be disabled even if he is not dead.
The life or death of an official depends entirely on the emperor's will.
Mo Bin was not sure what Zhu Youtang was thinking and boldly asked questions.
“Your Majesty, is this stick used to strike hard, or does it strike with heart?”
In fact, hitting hard and hitting carefully are the code words among the factory guards.
Fight hard to survive, fight hard to die.
Zhu Youtang's ultimate goal today was not to deal with these officials who refused to go to court because they claimed to be ill, so he did not think about taking their lives.
“Don’t kill me.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Mou Bin took the order, walked out from the Meridian Gate, and stood in front of the officials.
More than five hundred officials were tortured with the imperial cane at the same time, which was quite a scene.
The Jin Yiwei who were responsible for the execution also brought the court sticks specially used for execution.
This kind of court stick is made of hard chestnut wood. The end that hits people is cut into a mallet shape, which makes it painful to hit people.
Mou Bin spread his feet with his toes pointed outward and loudly ordered: "Twenty imperial staffs, execution immediately!"
"Yes!"
After the Jin Yiwei received the order, they immediately prepared to carry out the execution.
At the same time, the Jinyi guards also noticed the posture of Mou Bin.
He stood with his feet spread apart and his toes pointing outwards. This showed that His Majesty wanted to fight hard and save their lives.
If he stands with his feet together and his toes pointed inward, then His Majesty will have to fight hard and prepare for the funeral that night.
The Jin Yiwei pushed the officials to the ground, then raised the court stick high and spanked the officials on the buttocks.
Suddenly, screams rang out one after another in the Meridian Gate Square.
“Ahhhh!!!”
“Spare your life! Your Majesty, please forgive me!!!”
“Your Majesty, forgive me! Your Majesty! I will never do it again. Dare! Never again!”
"Spare me, your majesty!!!"
"..."
The tragic cries and howls made the civil and military officials in the DPRK and Chinese unable to bear to hear them.
After a few strokes, the buttocks of many officials were beaten to pieces, with blood flowing freely.
Wang Shu, Liu Jian, Liu Daxia and others all closed their eyes and sighed.
The officials pretended to be ill and refused to go to court. Your Majesty punished them justly, and even they could not say anything more.
The official who was being tortured even felt regretful in his intestines.
Had I known this, even if they had to crawl this morning, they would have crawled to go to court!
The physical pain, coupled with the regret in their hearts and the fear of death, caused these officials to completely collapse!
Everyone kept wailing and howling, causing all the officials in the court to feel chilled and weak in their legs. They took a few steps back, wanting to get as far away from the execution ground as possible.
Twenty imperial staffs are more or less.
When the last Jin Yiwei put away his court stick, the punishment of these more than 500 officials with the court stick ended.
The officials who were lying on the ground wailing were shocked to find that they were not dead after receiving twenty sticks!
Not only were they shocked, but the civil and military officials behind them were so shocked that their eyes widened when they saw these officials who were still breathing after being tortured.
He is actually not dead!
Your Majesty actually spared their lives? !
The previous impression that Zhu Youtang would kill all the officials at every turn has deeply penetrated into the hearts of the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty.
At this time, Zhu Youtang suddenly spared the lives of these officials. The officials were immediately overjoyed and praised Zhu Youtang as an eternal benevolent king!
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for sparing your life! Thank you, Your Majesty, for sparing your life! Your Majesty's reputation for kindness is better than that of the previous dynasty, Song Renzong!"
"Your Majesty is truly a benevolent king through the ages, and his reputation for kindness will be passed down from generation to generation! Praise for all ages!”
"Your Majesty practices vajra methods and has the heart of a Bodhisattva. To have such a benevolent king, the Ming Dynasty is really lucky!"
"..."
The officials who survived the disaster did not care about the pain on their bodies. , and sang praises to Zhu Youtang again and again.
Those beautiful words came out like they were free of money, and they almost made Zhu Youtang an emperor for eternity.
Zhao Zhen, Renzong of the Song Dynasty, treated others with care, worked conscientiously, endured anger all his life, and was a good person all his life, only to gain the reputation of a benevolent king.
But when Zhu Youtang came here, he just slapped these officials who pretended to be ill and did not go to court twenty times without killing them, so he was called an eternal benevolent king.
This may be the legendary saying, put down the butcher knife and become a Buddha immediately.
Zhao Zhen has to be a benevolent king for the rest of his life before he can be called a benevolent king.
But Zhu Youtang only occasionally did not kill officials, so he was called a benevolent king.
From this point of view, it doesn’t matter what kind of pen or mouthpiece it is.
As long as people feel that saying the wrong thing will really lead to death, then naturally there will be great Confucians who will debate the scriptures for me.
These officials just feel that they are really going to die, so they don’t want to lose face or anything else, they just want to save their lives and go back.
After all, they are timid and not literati with backbone at all.
Those beautiful words made everyone in the civil and military court blush.
Wang Shu was so angry that his lips trembled and he cursed secretly: "Shameless!"
Li Dongyang and Xie Qian turned around with disgust on their faces: "You are such a treacherous villain, you are so ashamed to be associated with me."
"You have no pride, no integrity, and you are ashamed to be a subject!"
Liu Jian was also quite speechless. , regretting sympathizing with them before, sympathizing too early, it was a waste of his feelings.
Wynn was secretly shocked when he heard this, and lamented that he should study more.
Look at these civil servants, they are really nice when they praise the emperor.
They are so good at flattery that even the factory guards can't keep up with them.
Zhu Youtang waved his hand in disgust, and all the officials under the Meridian Gate stopped talking.
"Okay, the foreplay is over, and now it's time to enter the main show." Zhu Youtang's words made all the civil and military officials present look stunned.
In front of more than 500 officials, Zhu Youtang can only call it foreplay?
To what extent can it be called a serious drama by Zhu Youtang?
Could it be considered a serious act just like the time outside the city before, when one hundred and ninety-one corrupt officials were trampled to pulp in public?
Thinking of the changes in the capital last night, coupled with the dark and dense camp outside Chengtian Gate.
The heartbeats of the civil and military officials could not help but accelerate, cold sweat began to break out on their backs and foreheads for no reason, and their faces gradually lost color.
Sure enough!
really!
His Majesty suddenly changed the meeting to be held at the Meridian Gate today. This is because he had a profound meaning!
Zhu Youtang stood up from the dragon chair, put his hands behind his back, took two steps forward, and stood in front of the railing on the Meridian Gate.
He glanced at the civil and military officials in front of the Meridian Gate and frowned slightly.
The more than 500 officials who were lying in front of the Meridian Gate and had just received the royal staff occupied the best position.
"Pull them aside!"
"Bring to me those who participated in the murder of the late emperor!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Jin Yiwei and Dongchang Fanzi took orders at the same time, and then took action quickly!
Jin Yiwei and Dongchang Fanzi acted independently without any delay.
The Jinyiwei generals pulled the imprisoned officials who were still lying in front of the Meridian Gate Square, unable to move, to the Sixth Section Direct Room on both sides of the Meridian Gate.
This group of officials had just been tortured, and after being tortured like this again, the wounds they had just received began to hurt violently again.
But this time, no one dared to call out.
The sentenced official covered his mouth tightly and stared at Zhu Youtang on the Meridian Gate in horror.
At the same time, Dongchang Fanzi, who had been waiting in the Taimiao Temple, stepped forward to grab the officials kneeling outside the Taimiao Temple, and walked from the right gate of the temple to the Meridian Gate Square.
Then all these officials who were suspected of being involved in the murder of the late emperor were brought before Zhu Youtang.
At this moment, all the officials in the Meridian Square were so shocked that their eyes widened and they fell into a daze.
What case was your Majesty talking about just now?
The late emperor’s poisoning case? !
The late emperor was poisoned? !
At this moment, Manchao Wenwu felt that his scalp was numb, he was sweating, and he felt great fear in his heart.
If this case turns out to be true, given Zhu Youtang’s temperament, how many people in the entire capital will be buried with the late emperor!
Cold sweat broke out from the foreheads of the officials, but no one bothered to wipe it.
Everyone held the Wat board in their hands tightly, forcing themselves to stand up straight and not to fall down midway.
At this moment, the entire Meridian Square, where thousands of people gathered, suddenly fell silent.
There was only the sound of Dongchang Fanzi escorting officials passing by.
One after another, officials suspected of being involved in the murder of the late emperor were escorted to the Meridian Gate.
Min Gui, the left minister of the Ministry of Justice, Wang Ji, the minister of Dali Temple, Yang Qiao, the censor of the right capital of the Metropolitan Procuratorate...
All the heads of the three law departments are here!
In addition to the three law departments, there are also those from the Liubu Yamen, the Taiyuan Hospital, the Wucheng Military and Horse Department, the Sixth Section to Shizhong, and the Guanglu Temple...
This case involves so many people, so many departments, and so many high-ranking officials, which is really rare.
Soon, there was no room left in front of the Meridian Gate Square.
The officials of the court, led by Xu Pu and Wang Shu, had to step back a few steps again to make enough space.
Zhu Youtang looked at the dense crowd of officials kneeling under the Meridian Gate, and the anger that had gradually subsided began to burn in his heart again.
Zhu Youtang really didn’t understand why the civil servants of the Ming Dynasty were so unscrupulous that even the emperor dared to poison them.
If he didn't have 130,000 loyal factory guards and troops at his disposal, would he be the next emperor to die "suddenly"?
“Since I came to the throne, every time I think about the period before and after the death of the late emperor, I feel that there is something strange about it.”
“But I never expected that you civil servants would be so bold and reckless. , Dare to poison the late emperor!"
"Bold!"
Zhu Youtang roared at the courtiers, and everyone in the court was frightened and their faces were pale.
Xu Pu, Liu Jian, Wang Shu, Liu Daxia and others were shocked and quickly led the officials to kneel down and kowtow.
"I am terrified! I dare not!"
"Even the emperor dares to kill, what else can you not dare to do?!"
"Three Law Divisions! "
Zhu Youtang shouted angrily, and all the officials below were shocked with fear.
As the chief officers and adjutants of the Three Law Departments, Min Gui, the left minister of the Criminal Department, Wang Ji, the minister of Dali Temple, and Yang Qiao, the censor of the right capital of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, their faces were full of fear.
"The humble minister is here, and the humble minister is here to greet Your Majesty!"
Among these three people, Wang Ji is the highest official of Dali Temple and is in charge of the entire Dali Temple.
Min Gui and Yang Qiao are both adjutants of the Ministry of Punishment and the Metropolitan Procuratorate. They are respectively in charge of the Ministry of Punishment and the Metropolitan Procuratorate regarding criminal trials.
After the death of the late emperor, the Sanfa Division not only failed to investigate to the end, but also closed the case without authorization, released the officials of the Taiyuan Hospital, and did not hold anyone accountable or responsible.
For this alone, the Sanfasi group is unforgivable!
"I ask you, after the death of the late emperor, why did you not investigate thoroughly, but released Liu Wentai of the Taiyuan Hospital, and refused to hold any responsibility!"
Prince Qing of Dali Temple Ji kowtowed repeatedly: "Your Majesty, I also obey orders!"
“Liu Ji, the cabinet scholar, told us that the death of the late emperor was completely accidental and had nothing to do with the imperial hospital’s responsibility. Please do not harm innocent people!”
“I originally wanted to get to the bottom of it. But the cabinet orders, I have to obey!”
"Unbridled!" Zhu Youtang roared: "Is this world a cabinet world or a Zhu family emperor's world?!"
"Are you officials of the Ming Emperor or cabinet officials?!"
"If the cabinet tells you not to investigate, you won't investigate. When did the cabinet's words become more effective than the emperor's words?!"
"This..."
Wang Ji was frightened and uneasy. When you say the right thing, you just kowtow.
"Your Majesty! I was confused for a moment! I am guilty! I am guilty!"
Min Kyu also spoke hastily, averting his responsibility.
"Your Majesty, Wei Chen is just the left minister of the Ministry of Punishment. It was ordered by Zhang Ying, the Minister of Punishment at that time, that the Ministry of Punishment was not allowed to interfere."
"Wei Chen is also weak-minded, and it is none of Wei Chen's business! "
Zhu Youtang was furious: "I will answer the question for the old thief Zhang Ying. Don't think that he is dead and the debt will be settled like this! "
"And you, in charge of the criminal trial, failed to perform your duties, and you cannot escape the blame!"
Finally, Zhu Youtang looked at Yang Qiao again: "The Metropolitan Procuratorate supervises all officials, including the Criminal Department and Dali Temple. "If they don't investigate, why don't you, the procuratorate, follow suit?" Yang Qiao was frightened and did not defend himself, but kept kowtowing.
"The guilty minister is terrified! The guilty minister is terrified!"
The three of them really regretted it to the extreme. If they had known this, they would never have acted like this before!
Then, Zhu Youtang looked at the Wucheng Soldiers and Horses Division again: "What did the Wucheng Soldiers and Horses Division do for food on the night when the late emperor died?"
"If one person doesn't take it, the other person Instead of arresting him, he even let Liu Wentai sleep peacefully in his own home for a night? "
Geng Wenxin, the commander of the Zhongcheng Army and Horse Division, opened his mouth and couldn't say a word.
“And you!”
Zhu Youtang turned his eyes and looked at the civil and military officials behind him.
“The death of the late emperor was so strange that no one in the civil and military circles of the dynasty dared to speak out!”
“Is this how you behave as a courtier?!”
Fourth on the shelves chapter!
(End of this chapter)